By George Odling

Following Rio Ferdinand retirement from international duty the Chelsea defender has contacted the Three Lions boss, he he says he will only turn to him if desperate

England manager Roy Hodgson has revealed that John Terry is open to a return to the international fold, but insisted a U-turn is unlikely.

The news comes the day after Rio Ferdinand announced his retirement from Three Lions duty, a move Terry took last September after being found guilty of racially abusing Rio's brother Anton by the Football Association.

Hodgson, though, is keen to further blood younger talent rather than again rely on his former captain ahead of next year's World Cup but kept the door open for a possible return.

"John has called me - if push comes to shove and we were desperate maybe we would turn to him," Hodgson told reporters: "But that’s a big 'but' and it’s time to move forward and get behind the players who are there.

"I’m not going to call on younger players necessarily, but to get behind the players I think will be the ones to take us to Brazil and do well for us.”

Hodgson is expected to call up Gary Cahill, Phil Jagielka, Joleon Lescott and Phil Jones for central-defensive cover for the forthcoming friendly games against the Republic of Ireland and Brazil.

And he was quick to assert his belief in England's younger players, and the need to look to the future for the team.